Row over ‘Soros charge’ derails LS proceedings
The Lok Sabha was roiled by unrest on Friday over allegations linking the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, to US-based billionaire George Soros
The Lok Sabha was roiled by unrest on Friday over allegations linking the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, to US-based billionaire George Soros.
Chaos erupted when the Opposition raised objections after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey was permitted to speak during Zero Hour to complete his controversial remarks from Thursday, despite a privilege motion against him being under consideration.
The Congress had moved a privilege motion against Dubey and BJP MP Sambit Patra for making “derogatory remarks” inside and outside the House. The Congress alleged that Speaker Om Birla was under pressure from the government.
Birla didn’t comment on the matter since he wasn’t chairing the Zero Hour when the unrest happened.
“Yesterday, one member made a derogatory remark against the Leader of Opposition and another member of the House, and the Congress. Another member made a derogatory remark outside Parliament. The Congress party has submitted a privilege motion against both leaders. While we are filing a complaint regarding the derogatory remarks made by one member, the same member is allowed to repeat such remarks today. The speaker is under total pressure from the government,” Congress MP KC Venugopal told reporters outside Parliament.
The Congress also claimed Dubey violated at least three rules of Parliament. The party urged the Speaker to expunge his remarks.
“We met with the Speaker and insisted that these remarks be expunged from the record and that the person must apologise. That has still not happened,” Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said.
“Congress is hand in glove with George Soros, did Soros pay for Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra or not, Soros paid for 1000 Indian children to study abroad, and how many of them are children of Congress leaders? My series of asking questions to the Congress party will continue,” Dubey wrote on X, in Hindi.
Earlier in the day, proceedings were immediately adjourned for an hour as Opposition members raised concerns about remarks made by the BJP MPs against the Leader of Opposition and the Congress.
“The House will function with dignity and modesty, and I will ensure these values are upheld. I urge cooperation during the Question Hour,” Birla said amid the Opposition’s disruption.
The unrest continued when the House reconvened during Zero Hour. Opposition MPs objected to Dubey being allowed to speak, while Congress MP Hibi Eden reiterated the privilege motion against the BJP MP.
“Nishikant Dubey had some issues with yesterday’s Zero Hour discussion,” Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, said, before telling Eden, “Your notice is still under consideration.”
Amid strong objections from the Opposition, Dubey said, “Congress’s hands are with Soros.” He further accused Congress of having ties with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
The row came a day after Dubey attempted to link Soros with Gandhi and Patra called him a “traitor”, triggering protests from the Congress.
The opposition party demanded an apology and forced adjournment in the House after Dubey sought to know if Gandhi had connections with forces trying to “derail” India’s growth trajectory.
In the Rajya Sabha, BJP member Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that there was a concerted effort by “foreign hands” to derail the Viksit Bharat (developed India) agenda.
Their attack appeared to be in response to a protest where Congress leaders wore stickers alleging a nexus between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group inside and outside the House.
Gandhi too, put a sticker on his T-shirt saying “Modi, Adani Ek Hain (Modi, Adani are the same)”.
Dubey attempted to turn the tables on the Congress. In his Zero Hour intervention on Thursday, he levelled a slew of allegations saying the Congress was working with OCCRP, a global journalism project backed by Soros’s Open Society Foundation, and was trying to disrupt Parliament and derail the government.
Separately, Patra alleged that Gandhi was part of a “triangle” with Soros and OCCRP aimed at destabilising India.
“We are going to talk about this dangerous triangle which is trying to destabilise India. In this triangle, on one side is George Soros from America, and some agencies of America; on the other side of the triangle is a big news portal named OCCRP... the last and the most important side of the triangle is Rahul Gandhi, a traitor of the highest order,” he said in a press conference.
The comments sparked a furious response from the Congress, as the party’s lawmakers came down to the well of the House, shouting slogans and demanding an apology from Dubey.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore wrote to Birla, expressing deep concern over Patra allegedly using “slanderous language” against Gandhi and seeking stringent action.
Tagore alleged that Patra’s conduct was a “clear violation” of the decorum and ethics expected of a member of Parliament.
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